A LABYRINTH IN LUCCA: THREE VIEWS Three Travel Writing students illustrate their different takes - historic, symbolic and mythical - on the labyrinth feature of San Martino Cathedral in Lucca.
HISTORIC
by Shaye Lynn DiPasquale Tucked behind the white stone columns of Lucca Cathedral’s archways, an intricate circular design has been carved into a pillar. This unassuming symbol is one of the most important features of the Cathedral’s façade, the finger labyrinth. In Christianity, labyrinths symbolize a journey of spiritual awakening and of reaching salvation through faith. If you stand in front of the labyrinth, you can trace your finger along the raised path, feeling your way to the center. Lucca’s hidden gem has piqued the curiosity of tourists and citizens for hundreds of years. A Latin inscription is carved alongside the labyrinth, recalling an ancient myth: “This is the labyrinth built by Daedalus of Crete; all who entered therein were lost, save Theseus, thanks to Ariadne’s thread.” The center of Lucca’s labyrinth once contained images of Theseus and the Minotaur, the beast contained inside the labyrinth that Theseus was sent to kill. The images have since been rubbed away by the thousands of fingers that have traced over them. The placement of the labyrinth in Lucca remains a mystery. Some say the labyrinth was meant to serve as a warning to pilgrims as they rested here on their pilgrimage along the Via Francigena to Rome.
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Photos by Shaye Lynn DiPasquale
SYMBOLIC by John Cola The ancient symbol of a labyrinth has been seen over and over in multiple cultures, and a variety of locations. One thing though remains the same, the message in which the labyrinth delivers. It is a symbolic image of being lost, or in a tough situation that requires effort and knowledge to conquer. Amongst many cultures, this symbol is used to represent a coming of age story, where figuring out the struggles of the maze will allow you to come out changed on the other side. The labyrinth itself can represent feeling lost or alone; not sure which turn to take or which path will lead you in the right direction. It forces the subject in isolation to find a solution through whatever means necessary. The maze on the wall, as opposed to something you can actually walk through, holds a deeper meaning in the sense of symbolism. Being able to see the whole outline and figure out the best path through shows the ability we have to solve these problems, and how challenging and barren it would be to find yourself inside of one. As for most things in life, conquering obstacles and facing challenges brings out the best in some, and worst in other. But it’s about overcoming and making progress, that is what separates the strong from the weak. Life is a circle and the labyrinth is a representation of that symbol, but faith in yourself is the only way to escape.